Man killed when forklift overturns was to marry this weekend

Thursday

Nov 9, 2017 at 5:32 PMNov 10, 2017 at 7:02 AM

A forklift operator was killed Thursday afternoon in an industrial accident at the Thrift Stores of Ohio warehouse on the Far West Side.

Columbus Division of Fire paramedics were called at 3:41 p.m. about a man injured in a forklift-rollover accident at the warehouse at 5357 Crosswinds Dr., said Battalion Chief Steve Martin, a division spokesman. The man was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:56 p.m., Martin said.

Larry Combs II, 40, who was at the scene after the incident and identified himself as the victim's brother, told reporters that James Lynn Saffell, 51, of the South Side was killed when his forklift overturned and landed on him at the loading dock. The fatality apparently occurred due to a miscommunication with a tractor-trailer driver, Combs said.

Saffell was supposed to get married this weekend to his longtime girlfriend, Combs said.

Columbus police issued a release Thursday night confirming Saffell's identity. No foul play was involved in the death, police said.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to investigate the incident.

jwoods@dispatch.com

@Woodsnight

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